[News] October 1 -- Flames final roster moves

[Itse]

Forgot to add the important part:

I like it!

It's essentially the same team that was a regular season beast and played some really good hockey last season.

Not a lot of players that are expected to take a step back because of age, a lot of players that could/should take a step forward. More chemistry to begin the season with, more familiarity between the coaches and the players, hopefully less sourpusses in the dressing room.

There has rarely been so much reason for optimism.

[Geeoff]

IMO the Flames just took that long to decide Kylington vs. MacDonald. I doubt it would be a contract issue. MacDonald's other option is being out of the NHL

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

After all the off-season squabbling the Flames start the season with a 22 man roster and $154,958 in cap space. All thanks to that little bit of room the Oilers made by retaining Lucic's cap hit.

I guess we were swimming in cap space Signed Tkachuk and didn’t even have to trade anybody

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

I guess we were swimming in cap space Signed Tkachuk and didn’t even have to trade anybody

Tomorrow, they can put Valimaki on LTIR too. Then they'll have over a million in cap space.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Nelson

Tomorrow, they can put Valimaki on LTIR too. Then they'll have over a million in cap space.

Sorta. They won't have that much cap space but they can exceed the cap by the amount of Valimaki's contract. They accrue cap space throughout the year, but they won't accrue the space not used by Valimaki. Clear as mud?

[Icon]

If Backlund can't go, I'd rather have Lindholm in his spot and Bennett or Tkachuk on the first line.

[bubbsy]

So, offseason officially complete.

We go into the new year with basically the exact same roster, except:
Lucic in, Neal out
Talbot in, Smith out
Reider in, Hathaway out

I realize it isn't from a lack of trying by management, and also that things could change anytime between now and the deadline, but as a fan, definitely a tad disappointed in more of a shuffle being made to try to improve the team.

It's a good team, I am not saying otherwise of course. Just that I was definitely hoping for a bit more turnover.

[DJones]

Originally Posted by Icon

If Backlund can't go, I'd rather have Lindholm in his spot and Bennett or Tkachuk on the first line.

I kinda want to see Tkachuk and Bennett together

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

So, offseason officially complete.

We go into the new year with basically the exact same roster, except:
Lucic in, Neal out
Talbot in, Smith out
Reider in, Hathaway out

I realize it isn't from a lack of trying by management, and also that things could change anytime between now and the deadline, but as a fan, definitely a tad disappointed in more of a shuffle being made to try to improve the team.

It's a good team, I am not saying otherwise of course. Just that I was definitely hoping for a bit more turnover.

I think that there a few things worth mentioning. First is that the Flames Acquired Pelletier. Secondly, The team only needed minor adjustments. The only change that was not positive was that Hathaway was replaced by Reider. Still, the disparity in contracts makes that more palatable.

Barring the last four games of the season, the Flames were the second best team in the NHL. Nothing that happened in the off-season suggests that Flames won't have similar results.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

I guess we were swimming in cap space Signed Tkachuk and didn’t even have to trade anybody

Swimming would be a stretch, but Treliving certainly didn't paint himself into an inevitable corner as some suggested.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by CN10

That was my prediction in the opening night roster thread. I could also see Stone draw in against heavier teams at home / Kylington play against faster teams on the road as well.

Calgary loves to not hand the keys to the kids right off the get go, but my expectation is that Kylington will earn a larger share of the ice time than Stone over the course of this season. He was quite good in the bottom pairing role for the half of last season he was in the lineup.

I love his skillset and he has a solid upside, but lets not romanticize young players.

Kylington had the second lowest zone starts last year (Valimaki 1st), was the most sheltered of any defenseman and finished last in CF%, 2nd last in xGF%.

This isn't a kid getting held back. It's a kid learning the league.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Swimming would be a stretch, but Treliving certainly didn't paint himself into an inevitable corner as some suggested.

The situation to start the summer did look a bit hairy, but Treliving gets a solid B+ from me for how he handled the cap situation.

Wasn't forced to make a bad trade to save cap space, got everybody signed well before opening night, did manage to make some beneficial adjustments.

Solid work that has the some potential for sleeper hits if Lucic and Talbot turn out better than I expect.

[Toonage]

Backlund will play Thursday

https://twitter.com/user/status/1179094367656525824

"Treliving says Mikael Backlund’s lower body injury is minor. He’s expected to practice tomorrow and play Thursday."


Michael Stone sits Thursday

https://twitter.com/user/status/1179096187246235648

"Coach Peters confirms Kylington-Andersson will start the season as the team’s third pairing. "

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Backlund will play Thursday

https://twitter.com/user/status/1179094367656525824

"Treliving says Mikael Backlund’s lower body injury is minor. He’s expected to practice tomorrow and play Thursday."


Michael Stone sits Thursday

https://twitter.com/user/status/1179096187246235648

I'm very happy to hear this. Go Kylington!

[Geeoff]

Andersson the grizzled vet insulating Kylington LOL

[agulati]

Good to read that about Backlund starting the season.

[ricardodw]

Such excitement over a 12 Minute/game d-man that won't be playing the PP or killing penalties. He wouldn't have been on the roster had Valimaki not gotten injured.

He will have the smallest impact on the Flames success along with Rieder and Czarnik.

[Toonage]

Yikes. Wonder if Matthew woke up with a thumb on his throat.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1179099756334731264

"Very high on the list of things that I didn’t see coming a year ago, Matthew Tkachuk and Milan Lucic we’re roommates on #Flames team building trip to Kananaskis. That’s awesome."

[sempuki]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Will be interesting to see what pairings they go with on Thursday

Giordano - Brodie
Hanafin - Hamonic
Kylington - Andersson

or

Giordano - Andersson
Hanafin - Hamonic
Brodie - Stone

All in all the PTOs were a good move, I don't mind the portable cheap depth options they added at all.

Why not both?

[SportsJunky]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

I guess we were swimming in cap space Signed Tkachuk and didn’t even have to trade anybody

You gonna let him get away with saying this, Flash?